Surviving Oceanic
by luvforsawyer
Summary: Set in the flash-forwards and post-rescue. Spoilers for all of season four. Rating to be safe. Please review!
1. Chapter 1

Jack stood outside the hospital gymnasium. His phone was already ringing. "Hello?"

"Did you speak to him?"

"Yeah," Jack said. "Yeah, it's fine. He's not going to say anything."

"Are you sure?"

"He's in an institution. Even if he did, who would believe him?"

"That's not the point, Jack. You all made an agreement. Or have you forgotten?"

"No, no I haven't forgotten. He won't say anything."

The dialtone sounded abruptly and Jack sighed, closing the phone and slipping it into the pocket of his jacket. He continued towards his car, not noticing the other man heading towards the hospital grounds until the man bumped into him.

"Sorry," he muttered.

"Sorry, mate."

Jack stopped, startled at the voice. He turned around. A young man with black hair grinned over his shoulder at Jack and winked, not pausing in his strides. Jack took out his sunglasses and pulled them on, chuckling to himself as he shook his head. "I must be losing it."

---

A few days after his visit with Hurley, Jack sat in his office, waiting for the next consultation. There was a brief knock at the door. Jack sat up a little straighter and cleared his throat before answering, "Come in."

The young man came in, shutting the door quietly before turning towards Jack. The doctor noted the man's apparent physical health as well as a strange familiarity about his presence. Jack stood and extended his hand. "I'm Dr. Shepard."

The man removed his sunglasses with one hand while shaking Jack's hand with the other. "I know who you are, Jack."

Jack's face paled. He felt his throat tighten. "I--you--you're...you're not..."

The man didn't let go of Jack's hand. "Don't get upset, Jack. That's how Hurley ended up in that loony bin."

Jack shook his head in disbelief. "But--but you're...Charlie, you're..."

"Dead," he said. "I know. Hurley and I have been through this. Did he mention he saw me?"

Jack shook his head and managed to wrench his hand from Charlie's grip. He eyed the phone and debated calling security.

"And tell them what? That your patient's a dead man who can touch them and communicate?" Charlie laughed at the idea.

Jack sat down slowly, then jumped up and began to pace. "How--how is this...how are you...you can't be here!"

"Yet here I am," said Charlie, sitting himself comfortably in the chair opposite Jack's desk. "Cozy office you've got here."

Jack folded his arms behind his head. "This can't be real."

"It is. And you know why I'm here."

Jack stopped pacing and stared out the window at the cityscape. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You've got to go back, Jack."

"There's no going back. That was the deal."

"The deal? You mean the one you made with--"

Jack spun and glared at Charlie. "You're not real!"

The chair where Charlie had been sitting was empty, as was the rest of Jack's office. He blinked rapidly and rubbed his eyes. This was too much.

---

Sayid Jarrah sat in the hotel watching the news with some interest.

_A surprising turn of events out of California, where multimillionaire and survivor of Oceanic 815, Hugo Reyes, has landed in a mental insitution following a bizarre interrogation with police. Reyes had been under arrest for evading police following a high speed chase, the reason for which is still unknown. Police say Reyes actually requested to be institutionalized rather than answer their questions. More information as the story unfolds._

Sayid turned the television off. He swallowed the last of the gin and set the glass down on the table.

"You see why I'm here."

Sayid nodded, not looking at his guest.

"We at Oceanic Airlines want to ensure that all of you are looked after, cared for."

"I understand."

"Good."


	2. Chapter 2

**Note: **I know it's the Oceanic Six, but I've got an idea going here, so bear with me..._

* * *

_

Immediately after the rescue... 

"Shocking news out of Sydney, Australia this morning," the newscaster said. Cassidy looked up in surprise. "A group of individuals claiming to be survivors of the ill-fated Oceanic Flight 815 have come forward, claiming the found wreckage was actually a hoax."

"Mama! Mama, ready?"

Cassidy patted the little girl's blonde hair. "In a minute, baby. Go get your shoes."

"Names of the alleged survivors have not yet been released. Officials are determining the validity of their claim. In the meantime, they are asking that family and friends of Oceanic 815 passengers contact them at..."

Cassidy shut off the television and sat, stunned. Passengers still alive? Shaking her head in disbelief, she picked up her purse and headed towards the door. "Clem, come on! Let's get goin'!"

* * *

"Oceanic officials have verified that seven people, three men and four women, found aboard a freighter and claiming to be survivors of Oceanic 815 are indeed who they say they are. Officials are waiting to release the names of the survivors until their families have been notified."

Liam swallowed hard, fighting tears. He had to be one of them. If anyone could survive...Charlie was a survivor. Always had been. Hadn't he? Liam stretched out a shaky hand and picked up the phone. He dialed the Oceanic hotline.

"My brother...I need to know if my brother is one of the Oceanic Six."

* * *

Jack stood in front of the mirror and knotted the tie. It felt more like a noose. There was a soft knock on his door and an equally hushed voice. "Jack?"

Jack frowned and went to the door. "Claire? Thought you were--"

Claire burst through the door as soon as he'd opened it. "I need to know who your father was."

"What?"

Her eyes were tearful, her hands clutching a newspaper. "Your father. Do-do you have a picture of him?"

"Claire, what's--"

She shoved the newspaper at him. "This newspaper! It says we're brother and sister. That we have the same father."

Jack scanned the paper, barely noticing any of it. "Christian Shepard."

"Do you have a picture?"

"Claire, is Christian Shepard your father?"

She shook her head and shrugged. "I don't--I don't know. I only met him once that I remember and-and I just...I didn't ask...He said he had another family. I-I told him I didn't want to know his name."

Jack pulled out his wallet from his back pocket and flipped open to the picture of his parents. The only picture he cared to have of his father. He held it out to Claire, certain that the newspaper was mistaken.

Claire reached for the picture. She stared at the picture for a moment before dropping to the ground, her tears falling faster. Jack knelt beside her, doing his best to comfort her. "Claire, what is it? Is that him?"

She nodded. "That's him. That's my father."

Jack blinked back tears. He wasn't surprised, really. His father had cheated on his mother twice before that Jack knew of. It was more than possible his father had a child elsewhere. But to have that other child here, on the same plane, on the same island...Jack smiled and gave a little chuckle.

Claire sniffled and looked up at him. "What? You think this is funny?"

"Claire, look at us. Look at all the shit we've been through. No offense, but our father...he wasn't exactly the greatest guy around." Claire nodded in agreement when he said that. "But he gave me a sister."

She gave a small smile and seemed to calm a bit. "S-so you're...you're my big brother."

Jack smiled and reached out to wipe her tears. "Guess so."

* * *

They sat in the board room eyeing one another.

"We can't do this."

Kate shook her head. "Claire, they wanted to stay. They said--"

"I don't care what they said! We can't just pretend none of it happened."

Jack leaned forward slightly. "Claire, look how long it took them to find us once. For all we know, there may not be a way to get back to them, even if we wanted to."

Claire said. "How are we going to do this? How can we go out there and lie and say we were the only ones?"

Kate blinked back tears. "Claire, this is the only chance we've got."

"The only chance you've got," Claire said. "How can you even think about this? You're really going to go out there and just tell people none of it happened? Tell them you never knew Sawyer, never talked to Locke, or listened to Charlie's guitar?"

Kate shook her head. "I'm doing what I have to."

Claire stood up. "And I'm doing what I have to."

"Claire--"

"Jack, if you want to go out there, that's your business. I'm not doing this."

* * *

Kate got the phone call four weeks later. Jack had sounded frantic. She sped the two hours to the hospital and met Jack in the waiting room.

"What the hell happened?"

Jack shook his head. "I-I don't...I don't know. She and I were supposed to have lunch and, she...she never showed up."

"That's not like her."

"I know," he said. "So I went to her place and...the door...the door was open. Aaron was crying."

Aaron. Kate glanced around the waiting room. A dark haired woman she vaguely remembered being introduced as Jack's mother held Aaron in the corner, cooing softly at his babbles.

"She was passed out. She-she'd hit her head..."

"Oh my God," she sighed.

"Dr. Shepard?"

Jack looked up at the voice. Kate grabbed his arm. He cleared his throat. "Yes?"

"We need to speak with you both in private."

Jack frowned and nodded, following the nurse to an office towards the back of the office.

The office door clicked shut behind them. "Dr. Shepard, Miss Austen, please, sit down."

The pair sat in the leather chairs opposite the massive oak desk. The balding doctor stared down at the open file on his desk for a moment before speaking again. "I understand you were both survivors of the crash along with Miss Littleton."

Jack and Kate nodded.

"I'm sorry," Jack said, "what does that have to do with my sister's accident?"

"Your sister didn't have an accident, Dr. Shepard. In my professional opinion, your sister is here as the result of a failed suicide attempt."

"Suic--no, no, Claire would not commit suicide."

"Dr. Shepard, I understand this can be very distressing--"

"Distressing? No. No, I'm not distressed. I'm telling you. Claire would not try to kill herself. Not after everything...she wouldn't do that to Aaron."

The doctor swallowed thickly and adjusted his glasses. "About the boy. Aaron, you said?"

"What about him?"

"Well unless a suitable guardian steps forward, I'm afraid he'll be put into foster care, at least for the time being."

"I'll take Aaron. That's not an issue," Jack said.

The doctor shifted in his chair. "Dr. Shepard, with all due respect, you are a surgeon with long hours and no one to care for Aaron in the meantime."

"My mother--"

"Lives in another state."

Jack sighed. "Then I'll take time off."

"I'll take him," Kate said.

Jack looked at her. "You?"

She nodded. "I know I'm not family, but I can take care of Aaron just while Claire gets better."

The doctor smiled and handed Jack a business card. "Good. Done. I suggest you two contact this social worker who's been assigned to the case."


End file.
